O New York Times reports that the Cyberspace Administration of China (ACC) punished two bloggers who advocated a life with less work and less pressure, an influencer who stated that, financially, not getting married or having children made sense, and a commentator known for observing that perhaps China still does not have the same quality of life as the West.
ACC launched a large-scale digital purge, stating which will restrict social media posts that “excessively promote negative and pessimistic emotions.” The stated goal is to “correct negative emotions” and “create a more civilized and rational online environment”; claims to want to clean up false information and “emotional predators” who monetize sadness, such as the closure of >1,500 accounts on platforms such as Weibo, for speculating on the causes of the death of Yu Menglong, a young actor who passed away in September. However, the campaign goes much further, reaching people who are not spreading misinformation or conspiracy theories. All they are doing is committing the “crime” of venting their disappointment.
Many bloggers and social media participants loudly question a system that imposes on them a lifestyle of hard work, which was supposed to provide a better quality of life, even if only in the long term. As if it weren’t normal for someone to admit online their frustration at studying for years to be an economist or manager and only getting a job as a supermarket cashier. The truth is that sadness, frustration, sarcasm and pessimism are part of human nature.
China’s economic slowdown, resulting from a real estate crisis (property prices have been falling for 3 years, although for many they are still very expensive), decreased consumer confidence and reduced consumption, and high youth unemployment (15%), fuels a growing feeling of disillusionment among younger generations. This feeling towards the officially endorsed “Chinese dream” – a life of hard work and sacrifice without any real satisfaction – has led many young people to adopt lifestyles like “lie down” (Tang Ping), ie, a minimalist, simple and stress-free life. Two influencers with millions of followers were banned from social media and cyberspace for promoting the tang ping.
This ACC campaign goes beyond the censorship of words – whether to silence dissent or critics of the regime – in an attempt to control one’s own feelings. It is normal for a Party State Big Brother promote “positive energy” (zhèng néngliàng) and propagandize his strenuous enthusiasm for the happiness of the masses and their permanent contentment. However, it is doubtful that banning pessimism on social media and silencing the disenchantment of a disillusioned generation will be smart or effective.
financial consultant and business developer www.linkedin.com/in/jorgecostaoliveira